Pass or Fail: Johan Franzen's controversial goal vs. Minnesota

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In the Minnesota Wild's defense, they should have carte blanche for rigorous overreaction after losing their best offensive player and/or trade deadline meal ticket because he makes Martin Havlat look like Cal Ripken by comparison.

But the backlash against the NHL for overturning the referee's decision and awarding a critical goal to Johan Franzen in Saturday night's loss to the Detroit Red Wings has been especially spirited. Here's The Mule's power-play tally that tied the game, leading to the Wings' 3-2 shootout win:

That's the Detroit feed the Toronto war room used to reverse referee Brad Meier's initial call of "no goal." Since then, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune has been reporting on the Wild's reaction to that call, including a furious Jacques Lemaire from a story posted last night:

"The league sent us [the replay it used]. I didn't see it was conclusive," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said. "I didn't see it at all. They say it was. I don't see it. When you get a camera [higher than the crossbar] and the crossbar's [lower] and a guy that's 6-2 is holding his stick [angled up], he's got to be over the bar. ... I guess they see something I don't see."
When Meier, 6 feet away, waved off the goal, Franzen didn't complain. The NHL was only receiving Detroit's feed (six cameras, fewer tape machines for replay options and standard definition), as opposed to the Wild's feed (11 cameras, more tape machines and high definition).
"The conclusive view was the enhanced view looking into the front of the Minnesota net," said Mike Murphy, the NHL's vice president of hockey operations, in an e-mail to the Star Tribune. "Franzen's stick started high but contacted the puck at or below the crossbar. ... HD or SD did not make the difference. The key component was the puck was struck at or below the crossbar. That is what we ruled, and we were unanimous in our decision."

Russo also posted fan-created screen caps of the no-goal here and here. So with all of this evidence and explanation:

Pass or Fail: The war room got it right and Johan Franzen's goal should have counted.

Bonus Pass or Fail: The Wild should still attempt to re-sign Marian Gaborik in the off-season.

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1. Posted by L K Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT
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It was a goal. His stick was just below crossbar level when it hit the puck.
2. Posted by noclue Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:40 pm EDT
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As a Detroit fan living in Minnesota, I can't say that I am that sad about the call. However, we did not get the game in HD that night. The over the air broadcaster in the Twin Cities does not feed HD games very often. Regardless, MN coverage only showed us two angles of the goal, so once it was overturned, I assume Toronto had more angles. It makes sense they got FSN Detroit since it was going up for satellite transmission anyway.
3. Posted by CoreyB Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT
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i give it a pass...thats definitely a goal. contact is below the crossbar.
4. Posted by CoreyB Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT
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the maginified view around 4:35 is especially conclusive.
5. Posted by Almost Lewboski Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT
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When was the last time Detroit didn't have a call go there way? And who supplies the pizza to the War Room?
6. Posted by CoreyB Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT
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4:25*
7. Posted by Hockeymomz Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT
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#5 I totally agree. Now if that was the Ducks or some other team it would definitely have been a no goal. Anyone say bias.
8. Posted by Ed K Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:21 pm EDT
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Pass. Looked like a good goal on the review. Also major pass: The NHL Center Ice free preview! Thanks to that, I got to see a ton of good hockey over the weekend... including that goal.
And attempt to re-sign Gaborik in the off-season? I'm guessing that's gonna be a fail.
9. Posted by banginpanger.com Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:04 pm EDT
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pass: at least they're consistent. crosby last week, franzen this week.
fail: save your money for someone who actually plays every once in a while, like say, tim connolly.
10. Posted by blueeyes_greeneyes Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT
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Oh really, hockeymom? A very similar play happened in the first Ducks vs. Wings game in overtime. Ducks had a goal that initially looked like a high stick. It was reviewed and held up as a good goal.
Lebowski: You need only watch the Winter Classic to see the last time a call didn't go the Wing's way. Ladd had a highstick on Lebda and boarding on Lilja. He was called for neither. In fact, LILJA was the one called for a penalty ultimately.
11. Posted by Sledge Longfellow Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:30 pm EDT
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It was absolutely definitely a goal because I have Franzen on my fantasy team.
12. Posted by blueeyes_greeneyes Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT
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I'm not trying to start a huge debate with what I said. All I'm saying...it was a yes or no question. Goal or no goal. Leave it at that.
13. Posted by skistarr Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT
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we've got a lot of conspiracy theorists around these parts, eh? listen, the league isn't out to give the stanley cup to detroit every year... it isn't all for giving crosby man of the year every year... seriously, let's all take a breath and relax. if ed hoculi makes a bad call, it's a bad call. when bill mccreary or brad meier make a bad call, it must be gary bettman scheming in his office. why are nhl fans so quick to cry conspiracy? i haven't been able to get a handle on that.
go pens.
14. Posted by Andrew A Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:00 pm EDT
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it was a good goal. the angle that i saw, and what toronto saw, clearly showed the puck and stick coming together at the bottom of the crossbar. yes, the camera was above the cross bar which would infer that the puck was struck above the crossbar. but when you do a little voodoo (trigonometry), however, you will find that the angle was not that significant to alter the perspective of the play.
15. Posted by HockeeJunkee Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:28 pm EDT
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Pass! It was a goal. Not the prettiest goal, but a goal none the less.
16. Posted by Almost Lewboski Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT
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@blueeyes, Typical Wings fan, complain about penalties, are you really Mickey Redman?
17. Posted by O Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:06 pm EDT
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#'s 5 and 7 are just hating. Bias? The only thing that comes to mind with your comment is BS. Good teams are always accused of " Getting the call their way." Am I wrong? It's the same with all sports. Remember when Shaq played with the Lakers? People ALWAYS claimed that Shaq got no calls against him because they were tired of him tearing up their teams. So in this case, why not just give the Mule props for a good play? And, honestly, the Wild have more to worry about than 1 one goal game.
18. Posted by sleza Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:55 pm EDT
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Pass. Doesn't look like hockey, but it's a goal
Pass. Sign him and trade to Ruutu...
19. Posted by O Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:06 pm EDT
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Oh yeah the Ducks beat the Wings in OT in Anaheim earlier in the season on what I believed was an obvious high stick. Research it, I bet you it was.
20. Posted by blueeyes_greeneyes Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT
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I wasn't complaining about the calls. I'm well aware that calls will be missed and I am ok with that. Look at your own post. YOU asked a question "when was the last time a call didn't go their way?"
And I answered it. Get over it.
21. Posted by Dewman Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT
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Wow, I can't believe that there is any question of the validity of that goal. I am also laughing at you Hockeymomz, Beauchemin's (sp?) OT goal against the Wings was pretty clearly a high stick and they allowed it. Really, if you were a Wings fan, you soon would realize that the Wings NEVER get calls. Look at the difference between their PP's for and against. Also the Wing's first PP was with 8 minutes left in the game. On a side note, Minnesota doesn't deserve to win any hockey game they play. They should actually try to get some decent talent on the team instead of having a bunch of hacks. Then they wouldn't have to play six goalies all night and actually try to score at even strength.
22. Posted by Adam G Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:45 pm EDT
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Pass. The camera doesn't lie.
23. Posted by blueeyes_greeneyes Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT
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As for re-signing Marian Gaborik: Fail. Minnesota would be better off just cutting loose from him. He's a very good player, but they'll be better served by forging a new identity without him.
24. Posted by logan g Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:45 pm EDT
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4:25 i agree is rather conclusive, but if it werent the red wings, they wouldn't have give that level of scrunity. Had that been the any team below about 6th in the conference rankings, they would have ruled that a no-goal and kept going becuase they wouldn't have checked that hard.
25. Posted by Dewman Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT
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#16, Have you ever listened to Mickey Redmond??? He complains about all the weak crap being called in the NHL. BOTH ways. He doesn't just say something when the calls are in the Wing's favor, he says it on ANY call that is stupid.